Long Island flooding turns roads into rivers after two months of rain fell in two hours on New York's Long Island Wednesday. The Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway was partially closed due to the Long Island flooding, police said

ByStaff, ReutersAugust 13, 2014

NEW YORK — More than two months' worth of rain fell in two hours on New York's Long Island on Wednesday, causing flash flooding and swamping cars on roads that were turned into rivers during the morning rush hour.

Residual flooding continues across portions of Suffolk County this morning after anywhere from 5 to 13 inches fell. Most of the rain has moved out of the area. The drier weather will allow any flood waters to gradually recede.

With the storm expected to end mid-morning, a total of 13.1 inches was measured at Long Island's MacArthur Airport in Islip, said Christopher Vaccaro, spokesman for the National Weather Service.

Lauren Nash, a National Weather Service meteorologist, told The New York Times that total rainfall in Islip, on Long Island reached more than 13 inches by 8 a.m., beating the previous daily record of 6.7 inches.

The Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway was partially closed due to flooding, police said, and television video of other roadways showed cars submerged up to their windows.

Flash flood warnings for Long Island and southeastern Connecticut remained in effect through the morning.

The weather system was the same one that drenched Washington and Baltimore on Tuesday, Vaccaro said.